The responsibility for the disintegration of unity in the Body of God lies with all God’s followers, and all religious leaders must vigorously engage in a joint spirited effort to rectify this separation.
Objective discernment is needed to uncover ways to mend this rift, for as long as it exists the force of God’s power in the world lies dormant; it can be likened to a sleeping giant.
Rectification necessitates investigation into the history of the Church, that the causes which are succeeding in keeping God’s Power chained may be uncovered. Undoubtedly, they have precipitated division. If perhaps the implementation of laws other than those of God is responsible for the separation, a study needs be conducted so that the reason behind that specific legalization may be bared.
For example: Did the law benefit God’s People or was it rooted in humanness so as to inflate the pride of a leader? Was the law instituted to fulfill a desire for power or was it to satisfy self in response to a personal devotion? Subsequent action to reexamine and either nullify or retain the law needs to be taken. When leaders honestly respond to the task of discernment it is necessary they keep ever before them the Lord’s desire for the unification of His Family. Our God ceaselessly calls for unification, that His power be released to benefit the whole of His creation.
To avoid entanglement in the possibility of disguise, as had been presented to me in March, it is necessary that we worship only our
one true God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is necessary that we too strive to retain our spiritual virginity. Metaphorically speaking, we are
never to engage in idolatry, that is, to take part in worship of anyone or anything other than God. We are never to allow a lie to pass our lips, that is, metaphorically speaking, we are never to call upon or make petition to false gods, in this particular instance, the beast. After all, only the Lord knows what disguise he will take.
It is obvious that grave, immeasurable importance can be seen in the worship of the One True God. And, if faithfully adhered to, focused, undisputed, singleminded worship of God will eliminate any risk of being drawn into idolatry by way of subtle trickery.
We are as well to heed the words recorded in Wisdom 14:10-12:
Work and workman will alike be punished. Hence judgment will fall on the idols themselves of the heathen, since, although part of God’s creation, they have become an abomination, snares for the souls of men, a pitfall for the feet of the reckless (the unwary).Yes, God’s People, His Church, could very subtly be led into worship, obedience and service to one other than God. In possible response to the directive of an apparition, misguided into believing it is a holy person, their unwariness and apparent innocence could even convince them that they are justified in their action. The conviction may become even stronger when it appears as though the organization of the Church approves the particular adoration and devotion.
Intense scrutiny and discernment are required in such areas, as hasty approval or apathetic silence could lead to misplaced worship and misdirected, lost souls.
I hesitate to focus on that trauma I experienced in March, yet once again I am met with scriptural passages which confirm its foretelling of the dangers of disguise. Revelations 13:13-15 states:
And it worked great miracles, even to calling down fire from heaven on to the earth while people watched. Through the miracles which it was allowed to do on behalf of the first beast, it was able to win over the people of the world and persuade them to put up a statue in honor of the beast that had been wounded by the sword and still lived. It was allowed to breathe life into this statue so that the statue of the beast was able to speak and to have anyone who refused to worship the statue of the beast put to death.2 Thessalonians 2:9-10,
But when the rebel comes, Satan will set to work: There will be all kinds of miracles and a deceptive show of signs and portents, everything evil that can deceive those who are bound for destruction as they would not grasp the love of the truth which could have saved them.In reading these passages it becomes obvious that what I saw as a possibility is, in fact, a confirmed probability. Another entity has become empowered to assume disguises for the purpose of drawing adoration to himself. In so doing, he is instrumental not only in drawing worship, obedience and honor away from the Lord Our God, but he is creating division among our people.
The studies of scripture scholars reveal and confirm the subtle trickery of Satan in the assumption of disguise. The confirming footnote to Rev. 13:15 states that,
‘The second beast mimics the Spirit who works miracles in the church to encourage faith in Christ.’What subtle trickery! What an affront! Is that deception occurring today by way of apparitions? Church officials, the Vatican hierarchy, are laden with the responsibility to discern these false guises and subsequently teach God’s People to employ that same discernment.
Worship of anyone other than God, wherever it exists, needs to be abolished. It defies common sense to think it is not instrumental in removing focus from God’s vision for mankind. What our Lord is calling for and awaiting is the transformation of our being, that ultimately we will become like Him, in Whose image and likeness we are created. This metamorphosis will occur through the process of loving, not venerating, externals or others.
Why, I have wondered over and over again, has all of this become known to me? In the beginning I wanted only a closer relationship with God; I did not want any part of prophecy. And yet I also knew it was only through God’s grace that I had been given these gifts. I should not be afraid; He will surely protect me!
Through the power of His Holy Spirit, I have become attuned to His Reality; I have the sense of never being alone. In that security I am experiencing the fulfillment of the promise made by Jesus in that Scripture passage I read earlier today:
Jesus said,
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you for ever, that Spirit of Truth whom the world can never receive since it neither sees nor knows Him; but you know Him because He is with you, He is in You.” (John 14:15-20).
Until we recognize the longing we have come to sense within us as being rooted in a desire for God, we will never be at rest. We might be surrounded by a world filled with people and things and yet we will be lonely and discontented. Why? I believe God our Father planned it that way. He created a void within us, one which can be filled only with Himself. When we finally recognize that desire and enter into a personal relationship with Him, we experience attunement, and our souls will be at rest and the void filled.
It will be so even in the midst of the problems which we as human beings will always have. For in Him, being secure in the knowledge that we are never alone, we will have the strength we need to persevere in any and all situations.
Christian Brotherhood becomes evident in relationship with Jesus Christ and one another. In becoming personally aware of the love God has for us, we develop a sense of bravery and pride. We are strengthened and take delight in proclaiming, “We are followers of Jesus Christ.”
Fear of death is abated; death becomes seen not as an end but as a beginning. Its nebulous, sometimes fear-filled inevitability becomes overshadowed by the knowledge that, through that passage, we will be reunited with our Creator.
For we Catholics, the sacrifice of the mass becomes especially meaningful. We come to know that in receiving the Holy Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus, we are made pleasing to Yahweh, God Our Creator. And, like Jesus, we sacrifice and consecrate our lives to Him. The fruit and purpose of our life becomes known to us. Intuitively we see this as our return to God, and know that our souls and our glorified bodies will be reunited with Him.
We also know that Our Lord desires we become a community. We are to help others embrace those truths which have freed us. In times of distress we are to assist one another; we are to pick each other up, help dust away whatever burden had dragged our fellow down, and wipe away each others’ tears, so that we can trudge on and engage in the challenge of life, for our human condition will ever subject us to on-going temptation, pain and burden.
And, praise God, we do experience joys; their presence is undeniable. We learn that they become manifest by and through the power of the Holy Spirit and work toward the elimination of evil in our lives. A desire surfaces within us to attack and destroy any form of evil, so that humanity can be rid of the destruction it leaves in its path.
Around the Towns
Religious author honored for volunteerism
Helen Silvestri (pen name Ellen Chaksil) of Peckville, author of "With God There Is Hope: Hope for Humanity," received a certificate of recognition for her book from her publisher Nicole Langan of Tribute Books in Archbald. Silvestri was a finalist in the 2008 National Best Book Awards in the "Religion: Christian Inspiration" category. From left: Silvestri, Langan.
